Detachable key-changer for pneumatic piano-players.



PATRNTED MAR. 20.1906'.

E. E. FLORA.r

DETACHABLE KEY CHANGER FOR PNEUMATIC PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION PILD MAY3.1902.

UNITED sTATEsw ELLswoRTH E. FLoRA.

PATENT oEEIoE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DETACHABLE KEY-CHANGER FOR PNEUMATIC PIANO-PLAYERS- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented March 20, 1906.

Application filed May 3; 1902. Serial No. 105,782.

Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain newV and useful Improvements inDetachable Key- Changers for Pnuematic Piano-Players, of which thefollowinoP is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of mechanisms which is adapted tobe used in connection with the keyboard of a piano for the operation ormanipulation of the same and which are known as pneumatic piano-players,and the key may be changed, as will more fullyv hereinafter appeal'.

'llhe principal. object of the invention is to provide a pneumaticpiano-player with simple and efficient means by which the key may bechanged.

Other objects of the invention will appear from an examination of thedrawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists principally in a pneumatic piano-player in whichthere is cornbined a detachable tracker-board provided with air-channelsextending therethrough, the outlet ends of which are in alinen'ient withone set of air-channels in the main portion and the inlet ends oppositeanother set of air-channels in the main portion.

The invention consists, further, in a pneumatic piano-player in whichthere is combined a fixed main portion provided with airchannels and atracker-board detachably and reversibly secured thereto provided withinclined air-channels extendmg therethrough, the outlet ends of whichare in alinement with one set of channels and the inlet ends arrangedabove or opposite the next adjacent air-channels in the main portion.

The invention co.nsists, further and finally, in the features,combinations, and details of construction hereinafter `described Landclaimed. g

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation ofa portion of a pneumatic piano-player fitted with these imvirovement andtaken on line 1 of Fig. 2; ig 2, a from elevation 'of the same looringat it from the left of Fig. l; Fig. 3, an enlarged plan view of thepiano tracker-board With these improvements'detachably secured theretoand partially broken away to show the arrangement of the air-channels;Fig. 4, an end view of the same; Fig. 5, a front elevation of thedetachable tracker-board removed particularly to the means by which lfrom the.H player, and Fig. 6 an end view f of the same.

In the art to which this invention relatesv l it is well known that thepneumatic pianoplayers as they are ordinarily made are adapted to playthe music in the key in which the oftentimes the music is not written'or made g in the best key. The principal object, therel fore, of thisinvention is to provide a detachable and reversible tracker-board forsuch l devices which will enable the operator to play themusic in two ormore keys, all of which l will be understood and appreciated by those lskilled in the art.

In illustrating and describing these irnprovenients I have onlyillustrated and described that which I consider to be new, taken inconnection with so much as is old as will properly disclose theinvention to others and enable those skilled in the art topractice -thesame, leaving out of consideration other and well-known mechanismswhich, if illustrated and described herein, would only tend toconfusion, prolixity, and ambiguity.

In constructing and using these improvements I take a pneumaticpiano-player a, such as the Cecilia-n, having a main trackerboardportion b, provided with air channels or ducts c, leading to theoperating mechanisms. (Not shown.) KI take a second trackerboard (Z anddetachably secure it to the main portion by means of the dowels 'e e andclamping-springs Thisx detachable trackerboard, as I prefer to term it,is provided with a plurality of air-channels g, of a number equal tothose in the main portion, extending therethrough and arranged atanincline, so that the lower or outlet ends, as shown in Fig. 3 ,'are inalinement each with its particumunicates with the inlet end of such mainair-channel, while the inlet or upper ends of each of the' air-channelsof the detachable the next adjacent air-channel or sets thereof in themain. portion.

Inthe drawings, Fig. 3, it will be noticed that the inlet ends of theair-channels in the detachable portion are opposite the next ad- {acentair-channels of the main ortion to the e-ft of the channels therein wich coincide with their outlet ends, and as it is the inlet 'end of themain channels and the position of channels with relation to the mainchannels music is made only, and, further, that lar air-channel in themain portion and com-v the inlet end of the detachable tracker-board IOOtracker-board are arranged opposite or above IXO , reversed end for end,so that the channels will incline to the right and bring its inlet endstwo notes or channels to the right'of the povsition shown in Fig. 3, onenotev to the right of the inlet end ofthe main channels with which theycommunicate,and thus ermit of the music being played in still anot erkey. The use, therefore, of a detachable tracker-board When made asdescribed and shown herein permits the operator of a pneumaticpianoplayer to play the music in three keys-first, 1n the norma made;second', a full note below thev same, and, third, afull note above thekey-in which it is Written.

I claiml. In a device of the class described, the combination of a mainportion provided with airfchannels extending therethrough and to theoperative mechanisms, and a detachable tracker-board provided withairechannels therethrough, the outlet ends of which coincide With oneset of such channels in the main/ portieri while the inlet ends arearranged op. posite or above another set of air-'channels 1n the mainportion, substantially as described. 2. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a main portion provided with air-channelsextending therethrough and a detachable tracker-board provided Withinclined channels extending therethrough having outlet e'ndscommunicating with the airchannels of the main portion, and inlet endsarranged coincident with channels in the main portion adjacent to thosewith which the outlet ends communicate, substantially as described. l

3. Inla device of the class described, the combinationof a main portionprovided With air-channels extending therethrou h, and a detachabletracker-board detachab yand'reor key in which it is Written or versiblysecured thereto provided With airchannels extending therethrough at anincline, the outlet ends of which coincide with one set of channels inthe mainboard While the inlet ends are arranged opposite the airchannelsin thel main portion adjacent to those with which the outlet endscoincide, substantially as described.

4. lIn a device of the class described, the combination of a mainportion lprovided with air-channels extending theret irough, adetachable tracker-board detachably and -reversibly secured theretoprovided with airchannels extending therethrough at an ineline, theoutlet ends of which coincide With one. set of channels in the mainboard while the inlet ends are arranged opposite the airchannels in themain portion next adjacent to those with which the outlet ends coincide,and pinandspring mechanism for detachably and reversibly securing thedetachable ltracker-board to the main portion, substantially asdescribed.

5. In combination with a tracker-board of a mechanical musicalinstrument, a supple- 'mental removable tracker-board.

6. In combination with a tracker-board of a mechanical musicalinstrument, a removable superposed tracker-board.

7. In combination with a tracker-board of a mechanical musicalinstrument, a second removable registering tracker-board.

8. In combination with a tracker-board of a mechanical musicalinstrument, a remov able tracker-board, and means for securing saidparts together.

9. A mechanical musicalinstrument provided with two coactingtrackerboards, onek fixed and the4 other removable.

l0. .A mechanical musical instrument provided WitlrtWo coactingtracker-boards, one

iixedand the other removable, and the removable board adjustable on theixedboard. 11. In iin-automatic playing attachment for musicalinstruments, the combination of a permanent tracker-bar, a detachabletrackerar, and means for securing the detachable tracker-bar to thepermanent tracker-bar.

ELLSWGRTH E. FLORA.

Witnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, HARRY IRWIN CROMER.

IOO

